Baseball glove

ABSTRACT

A baseball glove comprising an exposable ball-receiving pouch and space for confining at least partially a human hand and fingers of the human hand. The glove is generally constituted of leather and has a configuration generally simulating the human hand. An opening is provided in the rear portion of the glove for permitting exposure of at least one of the fingers of the human hand relative to the space in which the remainder of the hand and fingers are confined. An elastic strip is provided for adjusting the effective extent of the edge of the rear portion which is most remote from the finger-simulating elements of the glove to thereby prevent the glove from slipping relative to both the human hand and those fingers confined therein. Moreover, the rear portion of the glove includes a resilient projection which is engageable by that finger of the human hand which is protrudable through the opening provided in the rear portion to further enhance the prevention of the glove from slipping relative to both the human hand and those fingers confined therein.

llnited States Patent 91 Nadori [451 Mar. 27, 1973 BASEBALL GLOVE Benjamin Nadorf, Dobbs NY.

[73] Assignee: Everlast World Boxing Headquarters Corp., Bronx, NY.

22 Filed: July 16, 1971 21 Appl.No.: 163,382

[75] Inventor: Ferry,

[52] US. Cl ..2/19 [51] Int. Cl. ..A4]ld 13/08, [58] Field of Search ..2/l9,159,l61,162, 158

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,778,023 1/1957 Tompkins ..2/l9 3,119,118 l/l964 Beebe ..2/l62 3,528,107 9/1970 Rosenbaum... ....2/19 3,590,389 7/1971 Latina ....2/l9 3 ,602,9 1 5 9/1971 Collins ..2/19

Primary Examiner-James R. Boler Attorney-Abraham Friedman et al.

[ 5 7] ABSTRACT A baseball glove comprising an exposable ball-receiving pouch and space for confining at least partially a human hand and fingers of the human hand. The glove is generally constituted of leather and has a configuration generally simulating the human hand. An opening is provided in the rear portion of the glove for permitting exposure of at least one of the fingers of the human hand relative to the space in which the remainder of the hand and fingers are confined. An elastic strip is provided for adjusting the effective extent of the edge of the rear portion which is most remote from the finger-simulating elements of the glove to thereby prevent the glove from slipping relativeto both the human hand and those fingers confined therein. Moreover, the rear portion of the glove includes a resilient projection which is engageable bythat finger of the human hand which is protrudable through the opening provided in the rear portion to further enhance the prevention of the glove from slipping relative to both the human hand and those fingers confined therein.

9 Claims, 2 Drawing Figures PATENTEDHARZ? I215 BENJAMIN NADORF INVENTOR BY hdlwwhy ATTORNEYS BASEBALL GLOVE BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates generally to baseball gloves, and more particularly to a baseball glove having associated therewith structure for preventing the glove from slipping relative to the human hand and those fingers of the human hand confined in the glove.

Conventional baseball gloves are generally constituted of leather and include a finger or hand-simulating configuration and space for confining the human hand and fingers associated with the human hand. As those skilled in the art will understand, baseball players, whether they be professional or amateur, often find the confinement afforded by the glove uncomfortable and unsuitable for properly manipulating the glove in order to catch a baseball.

In this respect, baseball players often find that it is more comfortable and more suitable to remove their index finger from the confines of the glove and position their index finger along the rear portion of the glove to more appropriately manipulate the glove and often to diminish the sting associated with a baseball when the latter is thrown at an excessive rate.

However, because of the configuration and structure of the conventional baseball glove, when a baseball player attempts to withdraw his index finger from the confines of the glove in a manner aforementioned, although the glove may be more appropriately manipulated, the glove often slips relative to the hand confined in the glove, thereby presenting the baseball player with a possibility of dropping the glove inadvertently at a critical time. The reason for this is that when the index finger remains exposed relative to the glove there is little or no structure for preventing displacement of the glove relative to the index finger exposed, thereby permitting the glove to slip, at least partially, relative to the exposed index finger. The slipping of the glove relative to the index finger may be effected generally universally relative to the latter and more particularly either in the direction along which the index finger extends or laterally of the latter.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a baseball glove having novel and improved features associated therewith.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a baseball glove having structure associated therewith for preventing the baseball glove from slipping relative to the human hand confined in the glove.

It is still another object of the present invention to provide a baseball glove having elastic structure associated therewith for presenting a generally snug-fit around that portion of the hand which is most proximate the wrist.

lt is a further object of the present invention to provide a baseball glove having structure associated with the index finger of a human hand for preventing slipping of the glove relative to the index finger of the human hand.

To this end, the present invention relates generally to a baseball glove comprising an exposable ball-receiving pouch and space for confining at least partially a human hand and fingers of the human hand. The glove is generally constituted of leather and has a configuration generally simulating the human hand. An opening is provided in the rear portion of the glove for permitting exposure of at least one of the fingers of the human .hand relative to the space in which the remainder of the hand and fingers are confined. An elastic strip is provided for adjusting the effective extent of the edge of the rear portion which is most remote from the finger-simulating elements of the glove to thereby prevent the glove from slipping relative to both the human hand and those fingers confined therein. Moreover, the rear portion of the glove includes a resilient projection which is engageable by that finger of the human hand which is protrudable through the opening provided in the rear portion to further enhance the prevention of the glove from slipping relative to both the human hand and those fingers confined therein.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS With the above and additional objects and advantages in view as will hereinafter appear, this invention comprises the devices, combinations and arrangements of parts hereinafter described and illustrated in the accompanying drawings of a preferred embodiment in which:

FIG. 1 illustrates the rear portion of a baseball glove upon which is provided structure pursuant to the present invention; and 7 FIG. 2 illustrates an enlarged cross-sectional view taken along the line 2--2of FIG. I of that portion of the present invention which may be engaged by the exposed index finger of a human hand confined in the glove.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates generally to a baseball glove generally denoted by the reference character 10. The glove 10 is generally constituted of leather and provided with a plurality of finger passageways 12, a thumb passageway 14 and a web 16 for interconnecting one of the finger passageways 12 and the thumb passageway 14 to one another through the intermediary of leather stitching 18 or the like.

The glove 10 includes a rear portion 20 and a front portion which is not illustrated, the latter constituting, as those skilled in the art readily understand, a baseball-receiving pouch. The rear portion 20 and front portion (not shown) define a general passageway for confining, at least partially, a human hand and fingers of the human hand so that the glove 10 may be appropriately manipulated for catching a baseball. Moreover, the rear portion 20 is provided with an edge portion 22 of undulating extent and defined by a pair of convexities 24 separated from one another through the intermediary of a concavity 26.

An elastic member 28 is operatively connected to the adjoining convexities 24 for permitting the edge portion 22 of the glove 10 to fit snugly about the wrist portion of the human hand confined in the glove 10. Moreover, the elastic member 28 may be connected to each of the convexities 24 such that the opposite end portions 29 of the elastic member 28 are detachably in.- terfitted in appropriate slots provided in the convexities 24 respectively, thereby, permitting adjustment of the made, the greater the superposed relation of the convexities 24 overlying one another will be. By increasing the extent of superposed relation of the convexities 24 relative to one another, there will be decreased the extent of the concavity 26, thus, presenting the rear portion 20 with an opening defined by the concavity 26 and the elastic member 28 through which the index finger of a human hand may project in snug relation.

ing an exposable ball-receiving pouch, secondmeans for confining at least partially a human hand and fingers of the human hand, said first means'being controllable by said second means, third means for permitting The rear portion 20 of the glove10 furthermore 'in eludes a resilient element 30 constituted of foam'.

rubber or the like and connected to the rear portion 20 proximate'the concavity 26. A leather element 32 overlies the resilient element 30 and is connected to the rear portion 20 such as by means of stitching 34 or the like. As those skilled in the art will readily understand, when the index finger 36 of a human hand is exposed relative to the confines of the glove l0, and overlies the rear portion 20, in a manner generally practiced by baseball players, the index finger 36 may directly engage the leather element 32 and, thereby, prevent the glove 10 from slipping relative to the index finger'36 because of the projection presented by the combined resilient and leather elements 30 and 32 respectively.

Summarizing, therefore, the present invention provides a baseball glove 10 which is provided with a combination of structural elements for preventing substantially the slipping of the baseball glove 10 relative to the human hand confined in the glove 10. In this respect, an elastic member 28 is provided for presenting the edge portion 22 of the glove 10 with a controllable elasticity so that the edge portion 22 of the glove 10 may be snugly-fitted about the human hand confined in the glove 10. Moreover, the glove 10 is provided with a concavity 26 through which the index finger of a human hand may protrude, in a manner generally practiced by. baseball palyers, which concavity 26 will snugly fit about the index finger exposed because of the provision of the elastic member '28. Moreover, the provision of the index finger-engaging projection defined by the resilient and leather elements 30 and 32 respectively, affords means for substantially preventing slipping of the glove 10 relative to the exposed index finger 36 and the remaining fingers confined in the glove 10 in a direction along the longitudinal extent of the finger 36.

Numerous alterations of the structure herein disclosed-will suggest themselves to those skilled in the art. However, it is to be understood that the present disclosure relates to a preferred embodiment of the invention which is for purposes of illustration only and not to be construed as a limitation of the invention.

' What is claimed is: I

l. A baseball glove comprising firstmeans for definexposure of at least one finger of the human hand relative to said second means, and fourth means exposed and projecting relative to said second means and operativ l b th x tiafi iei'fiiiig iaii mifdpfiiifis fifif siig i xlgifiifi. tive to both the human hand and fingers confined therein, said fourth means including a resilient member over-lying in superposed relation said second means.

2. A baseball glove as claimed in claim 1 wherein said second means includes resilient walls having a configuration generally simulating the human hand.

3. A baseball glove as claimed in claim 3 wherein I said resilient walls are constituted of leather.

4. A baseball glove as claimed in claim 2 wherein said resilient walls-include a front portion and a rear portion, said first means being defined at least in part by said front portion, said third means including said rear portion, the latter being provided with an opening through which at least one finger is protrudable from said second means. I

5. A baseball glove as claimed in claim 4 wherein said resilient member is constituted at least in part by a rubber element and extends proximate said opening in said rear portion.

6. A baseball glove as claimed in claim 5 wherein said resilient member includes a leather element overlying said rubber element thereby interpositioning the latter between said rear portion and the leather element.

7. A baseball glove as claimed in claim 2 wherein one of said resilientwalls includes an edge portion of undulating extent, the, latter which defines a-pairof convexities and a concavity therebetween, and an elastic strip interconnecting said convexities and exposing a portion of said concavity, the exposed portion of said concavity defining said third means.

8. A baseball glove as claimed in claim 7 wherein the I an exposed finger extending through said rear' portion opening can be placed on said member, whereby engagement by the finger of said member prevents slipping of said glove relative to thehand. 

1. A baseball glove comprising first means for defining an exposable ball-receiving pouch, second means for confining at least partially a human hand and fingers of the human hand, said first means being controllable by said second means, third means for permitting exposure of at least one finger of the human hand relative to said second means, and fourth means exposed and projecting relative to said second means and operatively engageable by the exposed finger for substantially preventing said second means from slipping relative to both the human hand and fingers confined therein, said fourth means including a resilient member over-lying in superposed relation said second means.
 2. A baseball glove as claimed in claim 1 wherein said second means includes resilient walls having a configuration generally simulating the human hand.
 3. A baseball glove as claimed in claim 3 wherein said resilient walls are constituted of leather.
 4. A baseball glove as claimed in claim 2 wherein said resilient walls include a front portion and a rear portion, said first means being defined at least in part by said front portion, said third means including Said rear portion, the latter being provided with an opening through which at least one finger is protrudable from said second means.
 5. A baseball glove as claimed in claim 4 wherein said resilient member is constituted at least in part by a rubber element and extends proximate said opening in said rear portion.
 6. A baseball glove as claimed in claim 5 wherein said resilient member includes a leather element overlying said rubber element thereby interpositioning the latter between said rear portion and the leather element.
 7. A baseball glove as claimed in claim 2 wherein one of said resilient walls includes an edge portion of undulating extent, the latter which defines a pair of convexities and a concavity therebetween, and an elastic strip interconnecting said convexities and exposing a portion of said concavity, the exposed portion of said concavity defining said third means.
 8. A baseball glove as claimed in claim 7 wherein the extent of said elastic strip is adjustable.
 9. A baseball glove comprising front and rear portions, said front portion constituting an exposable ball-receiving pouch, said pouch and rear portion defining internal spaces arranged to at least partially receive and confine a human hand and fingers thereof, said rear portion including an opening which permits exposure of at least one finger externally of said internal spaces; and a resilient member externally attached on said rear portion in an overlying superposed relation and being disposed adjacent to said rear portion opening so that an exposed finger extending through said rear portion opening can be placed on said member, whereby engagement by the finger of said member prevents slipping of said glove relative to the hand. 